The Sky Blues have carried their grand final heartache with them all pre-season, waiting for this game to start to make amends. For the players that remain from that day in May, this is a chance to try and put more than four months of pain behind them.

Heading into his second season in charge, coach Graham Arnold feels this is now ‘his’ squad and will demand even more progression – and probably some silverware – from this season.

Expectation is also pretty high at Melbourne City. With huge backing and amazing resources, results will be a must for coach John van ‘t Schip and his superbly assembled squad.

While they head to Sydney with an injury-depleted side, they’ll fancy their chances on coming away with a result as they did on two occasions at Moore Park last season.

OPTA DATA

Sydney FC won just one point from their two Hyundai A-League home games with Melbourne City last season (D1 L1).

City averaged 11.4 shots per game last season; more than any other Hyundai A-League side in 2014-15.

Including finals matches, Sydney FC have won 11 Hyundai A-League games in 2015 so far – more than any other side.

Melbourne City were given a red card in each of their last two regular season games in 2014-15 – they only received two in their previous 35 Hyundai A-League games before this run.

ROUTE TO GOAL

The Sky Blues have recruited well and home fans will be thrilled to get a close-up look at new attacking imports Milos Ninkovic and Filip Holosko.

If they can have as big an impact as Marc Janko did last season, it should be another entertaining ride for the home fans at Allianz.

City is facing a bit of an injury crisis to start the season with Ivan Franjic, Harry Novillo, Corey Gameiro and David Williams all expected to miss the clash.

With Aaron Hughes away on international duty and Aaron Mooy only arriving in Sydney from Jordan on the morning of the match, coach John van ‘t Schip will call on the depth of his squad to try and get a result.

Will they have enough to get past a hungry Sky Blues outfit?

FORM LINES

The Sky Blues have had a mixed pre-season. There were some sensational performances and results mixed with some disappointing ones, including a round of 16 Westfield FFA Cup exit at the hands of Adelaide United. Arnold should have his troops firing for this one though.

City is arguably been the form side of the pre-season. They are in the FFA Cup semis – facing a trip to Perth later this month – and have scored freely throughout. City was also unbeaten in two trips to Allianz last campaign. Could this be the season where the club start to fulfil their lofty expectations?